Grease Challenge

A line from a program my business produced reads, “…all the work we do together will serve as a reminder that we are capable of more than we imagine, both as individuals and a team”. 115 teenagers this week take part in Emmaus College production of Grease. For most this will be the only time they’ll don costumes and make up to perform in front of a paying audience. They’ll appreciate the applause at the end of their performances but what will stay in their minds is the work they did together to receive the applause. Extending their comfort zone; learning how to sing, dance and act in front of an audience; something I suspect many never imagined doing a few months back. Challenging, a great learning experience and I expect when the final curtain falls personally satisfying. How do they replicate this buzz in their post school life? Imagine a work environment that does. Could a work place learn something from the High School musical? While drumming up support from business people for this week’s Communication to Careers (C2C) sessions I was told of an interview where the teenager arrived 5 minutes late and looked less than interested in the position. We always seem to retell a negative story about youth and employment. Well I’ll share a story of 1 student who attended this Monday’s C2C. In the midst of the conversations involving some 80 students one fell to the floor. He had fainted, I subsequently learnt he also fainted on Sunday and despite still feeling sick on Monday morning badly wanted to attend school to meet the business people attending. He wanted advice, to make contacts, learn more about employer expectations. If we’re to talk about teenagers and their willingness to work let’s also mention the ones who drop their resumes into businesses unannounced, who offer to work for free to demonstrate their willingness, who still smile and thank people from the drive through window as they are abused for having to wait. Go to the Pilbeam Theatre this weekend, see 115 teenagers who have spent around 100 hours rehearsing for no remuneration, in fact any tangible reward other than knowing in 2015 they were part of something great. It is amazing what we can be capable of with the right environment.